Quick pickles are ready in a few hours - rather than a few weeks. They are crisp and flavorful, a wonderful addition to any entree.
I really enjoy making homemade pickles. They are so wonderfully crispy and flavorful, and it's fun to change things up and use different vegetables, vinegars, and seasonings.
I almost always have a jar of these refrigerator pickles in the fridge. I especially enjoy them with various cold leftover meats.
The ingredients you'll need
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make these quick pickles. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
Vegetables: I like to use green beans, cauliflower florets, and mini peppers. But you can use any vegetables you like. Cucumbers are an obvious choice, and carrots or radishes are good too.
Vinegar: I like to use white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar. I don't recommend using distilled white vinegar in this recipe. It's highly acidic and won't taste as good, in my opinion.
Garlic cloves: I use a couple of whole peeled garlic cloves to add flavor to the brining solution.
Sweetener: This is optional, but it helps balance out the acidity of the vinegar. You can use any granulated sweetener or the equivalent in stevia. The nutrition info below assumes that a non-nutritive sweetener was used.
Salt and spices: I use kosher salt, whole peppercorns, whole coriander, and a dry bay leaf.
How to make quick pickles
Traditional pickling is an elaborate process that I have no patience for, but this is an easy recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
1. Your first step is to prep the vegetables and pack them tightly into a glass jar, leaving ½-inch of space at the top.
2. Prepare the brine: Combine water, vinegar, garlic, sweetener, salt and spices in a small saucepan. Stir to dissolve the sweetener and the salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
3. Allow the mixture to slightly cool, then pour it over the vegetables.
4. Cover the jar tightly, allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it for at least six hours and preferably overnight.
What vegetables to use?
The combination presented in the recipe card below is the one I use most often, but you can use any vegetable.
I often use green beans, cauliflower florets and mini peppers. But other vegetables that should work well are thick spears of asparagus, cucumbers, and radishes.
Change up the brining solution
The quick pickles recipe listed below is just a rough guideline. It's really fun to change things up! For example, you can change up the vinegar you use. I like to use champagne vinegar. White wine vinegar is also good. However, I don't recommend using distilled white vinegar. It's too acidic.
You can also make these pickles spicy by adding a couple of hot chili peppers to the pickling jar. Just make sure no one actually tries to eat them!
Why I use a sweetener
While adding a sweetener is optional, I do recommend it. It balances out the acidity of the vinegar. But it's really a matter of personal preference. My husband actually prefers a version without any sweetener.
As for what sweetener to use, I like to use a sugar-free granulated sweetener. You can use white sugar if you'd like or even stevia.
How long do homemade quick pickles last?
Being homemade, they don't have any preservatives. So they won't last as long as store-bought pickles. I suggest keeping them for no longer than a week, in a sealed jar in the refrigerator.
What to serve with them?
Anything, really! I most often serve them with hamburgers or with grilled chicken breasts. I also like to make myself a lunch plate with cold cuts, cheese, hard-boiled eggs (or deviled eggs), and quick pickles. It's actually one of my favorite lunches.
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Homemade Quick Pickles
INGREDIENTS
Vegetables:
- ¾ cup cauliflower florets (use small florets)
- ¾ cup green beans trimmed and cut in half
- ¾ cup mini peppers I leave them whole; you can cut them in half
For the brine:
- 1 ¼ cup water
- ¾ cup white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sweetener
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon whole coriander
- 1 bay leaf
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place the vegetables in a 20-ounce glass jar or in a lidded glass storage container. Make sure it's made from a thick glass that can withstand near-boiling water. Pack the vegetables in tightly, leaving ½-inch of space at the top.
- Prepare the brine: Combine the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Stir to dissolve the salt and the sweetener. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
- Allow the brine to slightly cool, then pour it over the vegetables. It helps to pour the brine from the saucepan into a measuring cup, then use the spout to pour it into the jar. The brine should cover the vegetables completely. If it doesn't, you'll need to make more.
- Close the jar tightly, cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes), then refrigerate the pickles for 6 hours or overnight.
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NOTES
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living.